Post.



W. T. HICKS.

POST. APPLIoATIoN rum) DB0. '1, 1911.

Patented Nov.19,1912. $337.1.

WILLIAM T. HICKS, OF BLOOMNGTO, INDIA.

POST.

speiaeanoii of Leners Patent. Patented Nov. t9, i912.

Application filed December 7, 191i. Serial No. 664,465. Y

.To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM T. HICKS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bloomington, in the county of Monroe and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Posts, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to pro vide a, cheap yet strong anddurable post for use in building fences, carrying telegraph wires, andall other uses for which posts of such character are ordinarily providedand it consists in a peculiar construction of post whereby these objectsare accomplished, all as will be hereinafter more fully described andclaimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which :are made a part hereof andon which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure lis a side View of a post embodying my said invention, Fig. 2, verticalsection through the same, Fig. 3, a transverse section, and Fig. 4, adetail view showing a. fragment of the wire fence-form in elevation.

Said post is composed 'of a wire basket, or post-form, 10 formed ofWoven wire, or similar 'reticulated metal, of substantially the formwhich it is desired the finished post shall have. It is closed or unitedat its top by the metal fabric which continues to the apex, said topbeing oval in form, uniting all the sides and forming a unitary metalstructure. The strands or wires composing the woven wire form or basketpreferably cross each other at angles of from 30 to 45 degrees, as shownin Fig. 4C, so that cach individual strand or part extends spirally andthus is better enabled to withstand the twisting strain on the post. Inother Words, each wire or strand at a point substantially midway itslength lies across the top of the structure, its'two ends passing downopposite sides of said structure in spiral directions to the foot orbottom thereof and interwoven with every other strand. The metal basketthus constitutes, in itself, a metal post of considerable strength andis connected from all sides with every other part and in all directionsso that, in use, the strain, both frontal and lateral is imparted to andborne by every part of the postfand its tensile as well as compressiblestrength [united to the best possible advantage. The

center of said basket is filledA with a core 1l of cheap coarse concretecomposed of substantially one part cement, 'three parts sand and sinparts coarse gravel, cinders, .or like material. Said core thus supportsthe reticulated metal basket or post in its lroriginal form, preventingthe same from l collapsing under 'strain or pressure, so that its topand spirally along opposite sides, its entire strength, or the combinedstrength of all its parts, is utilized from all sides and in alldirect-ions to the best advantage.. Said core being poured into saidbasket, in the form of a wet mixture while said form is substantiallyembedded in the concrete, the corners and ends of portions of the coarsematerial extending into the meshes while the floating material will runthrough between and around the wires, makingsaid basket substantially anintegral part of the core, which will thus be formed with. an admirablesurface for the adherence of the veneer of the finer and richer mixture.The exterior of said post is veneered or covered with a thin layer ofrich concrete which is of sutiicient thickness to completely cover thecore composed of the wire basket, or post-form, and coarse mixturetherein and protect the same from the action of the ele ments and alsoimpart a smooth and finished appearance to the exterior of said post,providing a. surface that is impervious to 'the Weather and can beglazed or given any style of finish, desired.

The apparatus and process by which these posts are made -form thesubject matter of a separate application, tiled concurrently herewith,in which said method of construction is clearly and fully set forth.tmay be here stated, however, that the center core is poured into theinterior of said wire basket after the materials comprising it have beenthoroughly mined and when in a green and wet state and the rich concreteforming the outer veneering is poured between said wire basket and the.side of the mold in which the post is formed in a wet and green `state,an imperforate bulk-head 'separating the two classes of material duringthe pouring, which bulk-head is thenfremoved, per- Knitting both theouter and inner material to unite around the wires or strands composingthe basket forming a complete homogenous structure perfectly united atall points. A

because of its strands being extended over confined in a bulk-head, thewire becomes.

post is thus 'provided which is composed chiey of an inexpensive Wirefabric, or other similar reticulated metal, and a low grade concretecore'which serves to hold said basket, or post, expanded and in properform for the purpose, while the ne concrete on the outside enables afinished surface to be imparted to the post, either smooth, glazed, orfinished in any manner desired, all as is Well understood. The veneeringbeing smooth and imperforate furnishes a perfect protection to theinterior structure from the disintegrating action of moisture which isprevented from reaching the coarse or more porous interior substance.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I cia1m neu7 anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A post comprising a reticulated metal form, or basket, ofsubstantially the desired shape for the nished post composed of metalstrands which extend continuously along opposite sides and over the topof said form, a core composed of a coarse concrete mixturel filling saidform and extending through the interstices thereof, and veneeringcovering the Whole and composed of a fine concrete mixture ofWaterproofing den-- sity, the two classesl of concrete being unitedaround the portions of the core extending through the interstices in thereticulated metal on all sides and at the top, substantially as setforth.

2. A post comprising a Woven Wire basket of substantially the desiredform for the post the Wires composing said basket extending over its topand in a spiral direction along opposite'sides thereof, a coarseconcrete core filling and embedding said basket, a line concreteveneering outside said core, said Veneering being adapted to run intothe interstices -in the surface of said core and adhere thereto to forma homogenous structure, substantially as set forth.

3. A post comprising a reticulated metal post-form the strands of Whichrun in spiral directions around said form and over its top from one sideto the other, a eoarse'concrete core Within said form, a veneering offine concrete on the outside of said form, said coarse and fine concretebeing intermingled and united Within the interstlces of said retieulatedbasket and around the strands thereof, substantially as set forth.

In Witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and sealat.Indianapolis, Indiana,

this 29th-day of November, A. D. nineteen hundred and eleven.

WILLIAM T. HICKS. [Le] Witnesses:

E. W. BRADFORD, L. M. PATTERSON.

